Yams and Sweet Potatoes Casserole

Here is another of my re-inventions after trying and reading a few recipes. Above all many people get confused about the differences between yams and sweet potatoes.  Yams are an African vegetable. The yam is a tuber, member of the lily family, while the sweet potato is a member of the morning glory family. Yams are usually sweeter, moister, plumper, denser, and a deeper orange color than sweet potatoes. My tween daughter absolutely HATES this vegetable but... as she is somehow a tad of a sweet tooth... well the sugar does the trick in this recipe and she will actually eat it yet begs me not to remind her what she is actually eating! Makes no sense to me, but ok, I will obey!

INGREDIENTS

6 yams

2 sweet potatoes

2 cloves of garlic

1/4 cup of butter

2 table spoons of brown sugar

1/2 cup of shredded cheese

1/2 heavy cream

salt to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Wash both yams and sweet potatoes and cut them into four pieces
   
2. Put then into a pot with water and sea salt
3. Peel the garlic and add it to the pot.
4. Cook on medium until yams and sweet potatoes are tender to the fork
5. Remove them from water and feel the yams and sweet potatoes
6. Add the butter into the pot (previously used to boil the yams and sweet potatoes) and bring heat to low
7. Add peeled yams and sweet potatoes and mash them the same way as normal mashed potatoes
8. Add the heavy cream
   
9. Once you obtain a smooth texture pour it onto a oven safe dish
10. Add half the sugar all over it, then the shredded cheese, then again the rest of the sugar
11. Place in int he oven and put it at low broil for about 15 minutes or until the top is nicely browned

SUGGESTIONS

You can substitute the heavy cream for half and half or even plain yogurt or totally forgo this step. I love eating this with turkey, chicken, duck or any other bird.